


Fatherhood Brings Hard Choices

by Pineprin137



Series: Mated [22]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Accidents, Alpha Jared Padalecki, Alpha/Omega, Anxiety, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Issues, Fear, Jared to the rescue, M/M, Minor Injuries, Omega Jensen Ackles, Parental Duties, Tree Climbing, Twins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:16:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22963012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pineprin137/pseuds/Pineprin137
Summary: Jared would do anything to protect his family.
Relationships: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki
Series: Mated [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1509452
Comments: 3
Kudos: 112





	Fatherhood Brings Hard Choices

Jared sees what is going to happen and races toward the tree to break his daughter’s fall. 

Jensen calls to her from the patio where he is corralling the rest of the kids,  “Hang on, Nova! Papa’s coming!” 

Nothing matters at this moment but getting to their daughter. 

Not the burn in his muscles from running after two weeks of bed rest following his knee surgery. Not the distant voices of his other five children. Not even the fear he feels coming from his mate. 

The six-year-old loses her grip and flails trying to regain her balance. Her scream covers the snap of a nearby branch and the alpha’s heart stops in his chest.

“Aaaaaahhhhh! PAPA!” 

Jared’s tennis shoes skid in the dirt at the base of the trunk. He looks up at the same time he opens his arms.

When Jensen sees his husband suddenly go down, he doesn’t hesitate. The omega snatches their youngest, Mina off the blanket laid out on the grass and runs for the tree Nova had been climbing before she fell. 

Of course, when Jensen starts to run toward his mate and daughter, the other three children follow. 

Stella passes by her dad, fueled by fear for her twin sister. Emily grabs Danny’s hand racing after them. 

Jensen yells, “JARED! NOVA!” 

_ Alpha!  _

Mina giggles in the omega’s arms, thinking it’s a game. Jensen spares the baby a quick glance as he sprints toward the oak tree that takes up a large portion of their backyard. 

Nova sniffles as she sits up in the dirt and holds her arms out to Jensen. “ _ Daddy! _ ” 

Jensen collapses to his knees and gathers his little girl into his arms. “Nova! Thank goodness! Are you alright?!” He asks her frantically. 

“I’m- I’m okay, Daddy,” she answers quietly while being swarmed by her sisters. 

The panicked omega breathes a sigh of relief. 

_ Pup safe. One- two- three- four- five. All pups here, safe. Mate. Need mate. Mate saved pup!  _

A rush of intense pride flows through the bond before Jensen hears Jared’s moan. 

He turns to the man lying in the dirt and kisses him. “Jare, it’s okay. Nova’s alright. You got her.” 

Jensen scoots closer to him and smooths his hand over the alpha’s dark hair. Still being held in the omega’s arms, Mina copies him. She places one chubby little hand on her papa’s shoulder and makes baby noises at him. 

The alpha finally rolls over onto his back, his face etched with pain. Jensen immediately begins checking him for injuries. 

“Are you okay? What happened?” He asks. 

Nova misinterprets the question and answers in place of Jared, “I fell. But Papa caught me!” 

Ever the good big sister, Emily pulls both of the twins into her arms and shushes them while Jensen, Mina, and now Danny all check on Jared. 

“Mmmm. I’m good. Just uh, give me a second,” Jared says breathlessly twisting his head to avoid getting hit by a tiny hand. 

Jensen looks over his shoulder at the girls and smiles at their eldest. She nods and silently assures the omega everyone is fine so he turns back to his mate. 

“What happened?” 

“When I caught her, she was flailing-” behind them, Nova gives an indignant huff. Jared rolls his eyes and continues after gently sitting up and pulling their son onto his lap.

“It wasn’t her fault, really. It’s just that--well… she kicked me.” 

Jensen frowns for a moment before it clicks. He chuckles, “She got you?” 

“Yeah, square in the jewels.” Jared shrugs before joining in, laughing with his husband while the children watch them squinting in confusion.

Their shoulders are still shaking when Jensen feels a timid poke. He twists so he can see who the finger belongs to. 

“Yes, sweetheart?” he asks Nova. 

The little girl digs her toe in the dirt and avoids the omega’s gaze. “Is - is Papa okay?” 

Jared leans forward and gently tugs on one of her braids, “Aw, Nov, I’m fine. Promise.” 

“Really?” She asks, skeptical. 

“Really,” he assures her with a brief hug. He stands up with Danny in his arms then helps Jensen off the ground since the omega's arms are still occupied with Mina. 

They start walking back to the house; Emily staying close to Jared, the baby in her daddy’s capable arms, and Danny and the twins racing to see who can get back to the patio the fastest. 

“Don’t run!” Jensen calls out to them while he and Jared communicate through the bond. 

_ Jare, we have to say something.  _

_ Jen, she’s fine.  _

_ She climbed the tree after we told her not to, Jare.  _

_ I get that, but she’s okay. Isn’t that what really matters? _

Their silent conversation is cut short when Danny trips on the edge of the concrete. Jensen pauses to help their son off the grass and dust him off. 

“You okay, buddy?” 

The little boy rubs at his scraped hands but nods. 

With a sigh, Jared silently admits that his mate is right. They’re going to have to address this. 

“Alright, everybody, grab a seat. No pushing. Emily, will you please put Mina in her high chair? Daniel, don’t pull your sister’s hair.” 

Jensen comes over with the plate of hotdogs and begins passing them out. “Okay, who wants what? We’ve got cheesy dogs and regular as well as Papa’s spicy dogs.” 

The children all shout out their selection. 

Jensen places each dog into a bun then lets Jared help with condiments while he dishes up the potato salad and green beans. 

Once all of the plates are filled, Jensen takes his seat between the baby and his mate. He wiggles his nose at their daughter, cooing at her until she obliges and opens her mouth. 

Jensen praises her with exaggerated excitement, “Good girl, Mina!” 

His husband’s ridiculous faces as he feeds the baby make Jared chuckle. He reluctantly turns his attention back to the older kids. 

While he cuts up the twins’ hotdogs, he talks,  “Okay, who here can tell me what the rule is about running?” 

He glances up to see two hands raised, and two sets of eyes avoiding his. He nods at the older of the twin girls. 

“Stella, what’s the rule about running?” 

She selects a green bean and dangles it over her mouth before answering, “No running in the house and no running up the slope.” She accentuates the end of the word with a loud popping noise. 

Jared nods and surveys the rest of the table.

“That’s right. And what about climbing the trees?”

Nova blushes and busies herself with her cheese-filled hotdog. Stella decides that since she answered the first question she shouldn’t have to speak again and takes a big bite of potato salad. 

“Stella Marie!” Jensen scolds her. She immediately imitates her sister, ducking her head down and playing with the tablecloth. 

Jared glances at Danny, but his son is too distracted by the clouds in the sky. He hears a small sigh and turns to his eldest. 

“We aren’t supposed to climb the trees unless you or Daddy says it’s okay and can watch us. Never climb the big tree by the fence and test every branch before stepping on it,” Emily answers before taking a bite of her hotdog. 

“Thank you, Em. That’s exactly right.” The young girl nods and Jared smiles at her before continuing, “Now, if you ask and we say no…” 

Nova raises guilty eyes and whimpers, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to climb that high! I tested the branch! Just like you showed me! Papa, I’m sorry!” 

The alpha exchanges a look with his mate. Jensen sets Mina’s plate down so he can turn to the upset child. He wraps his arm around Nova and kisses the top of her head. 

“Baby, you aren’t in trouble because of  _ how _ you climbed the tree--” 

The little girl looks up with hopeful eyes. “I’m not?”

Jared breaks in, “Nova, let Daddy finish.” 

Nova looks at Jensen and pouts, “Sorry, Daddy.” 

Jensen frowns softly and strokes her hair. “Nova, when you asked me about climbing the trees earlier today what did I say?” 

“... you said no.” 

“Mhm. What about when you asked Papa before dinner? What did he say?” 

Her brown eyes flick up to Jared’s for a second before returning to the half-eaten hot dog on her plate. 

“He said no.” 

“So why did you-- Nova, look at me.” Jensen uses his finger to gently raise her chin. “Why did you do it?” 

She sniffles and Stella quietly grabs her hand under the table. 

“Em said that when the light touches the bottom of the sky there’s a green light show and I wanted to see it but I’m too short so I climbed the tree even though you said I couldn’t!” 

The little girl speaks so rapidly that it takes her parents a few moments to figure out what she said. 

Jensen wipes a dribble of carrot puree off of Mina’s face while Jared quickly fills him in. 

_... dammit.  _

_ Do you know what she’s talking about? Because I have no clue, Jare.  _

_ ….yeah, Emily wanted to watch a movie for date night and she chose Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. There’s a green flash when the ship turns over. She must’ve told Nova about it.  _

_ Ah.  _

The omega turns back to the twins, a surge of pride washing over him when he sees how supportive Stella is being. 

“How about next time you want to see higher up, you come to get Papa or me? Okay, baby? We’ll help you.” 

“ ‘kay,” she softly replies. 

Jensen gives her a big hug just as Mina smacks him with her spoon. 

“Ouch! Mina, no hitting Daddy.” He playfully scowls at their infant daughter then resumes feeding her. 

Jared chuckles and gets up so he can walk around the table and pull Nova into his arms. 

“I’m sorry, Papa. I won’t do it again…” the little girl whispers into his chest. 

“Honey, you scared me. When you fell…” The alpha buries his face in her hair, inhaling her scent, reminding himself that she’s okay. 

“You need to be careful, Nov. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” 

She nods. “I will. Promise.” 

Jared kisses the top of her head. He hears a small sniffle and looks up to see Stella’s watery eyes. He loosens his hold on Nova so her sister can squeeze in too. 

“I love you girls so so much.” 

“We love you too, Papa,” the twins reply, snuggling into his arms. 


End file.
